Actress Ashley Judd has spoken out about being the victim of rape, incest and forced pregnancy, and how she was grateful to have safe and legal access to abortion. Speaking at the Women in the World summit in New York, she said that she hoped her openness would allow others to speak out and seek the assistance they need. Judd also made clear that jailed sex-offender Harvey Weinstein was one of those that had sexually harassed her.
Judd said:
"As everyone knows, and I'm very open about it, I'm a three-time rape survivor. And one of the times I was raped, there was conception. And I'm very thankful I was able to access safe and legal abortion. Because the rapist, who is a Kentuckian, as am I, and I reside in Tennessee, has paternity rights in Kentucky and Tennessee. I would've had to co-parent with my rapist… So having safe access to abortion was personally important to me and, as I said earlier, democracy starts with our skin. We're not supposed to regulate what we choose to do with our insides."
Ashley Judd is a three-time rape survivor, but one of them times she was raped, she became pregnant. If she didn't get an abortion, she would have had to "co-parent with a rapist." https://t.co/jkqa4ftH0x pic.twitter.com/qJb4KU5NhC
— E! News (@enews) April 13, 2019
She added:
"I am greatly blessed that in 2006, other thriving survivors introduced me to recovery. I seized it. My own willingness, partnered with a simple kit of tools, has empowered me to take the essential odyssey from undefended and vulnerable victim to empowered survivor. I experienced two rapes by an adult and systematic molestation from another adult, who also had another man in the room watching… I can go further and say my 'story' is not 'my story.' It is something a Higher Power (spirituality, for me, has been vital in this healing) uses to allow me the grace and privilege of helping others who are still hurting, and perhaps to offer a piece of education, awareness, and action to our world."
Ashley Judd reads moving letter to assault survivors: 'Healing, damn it, is our birthright' https://t.co/NldreI6Id0
— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) April 28, 2018
In the wake of the #Metoo movement Judd came forward along with several other women to accuse film producer Harvey Weinstein of sexually assaulting or sexually harassing them over an extended period of time, with Weinstein often promising positions within the movie industry.
Judd believes that because she refused Weinstein's advances, he intentionally torpedoed her career in Hollywood and intentionally blacklisted her from parts in movies. Weinstein's lawyers later argued that Judd had agreed to have a relationship with Weinstein in order to guarantee her an Academy Award. A claim she denies.
Weinstein was later convicted of third-degree rape and 1st degree sexual assault. The 68-year-old was then sentenced to 23-years in prison. He is in severely bad health and has also been known to have contracted Covid-19. Many suspect that he will never walk free again.
[h/t: I heart Intelligence]
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